Combination electric lock

ABSTRACT

Electric lock apparatus including two or more multiple position electrical switches for completing a circuit to actuate an electric unlocking device. The electric unlocking apparatus is operable from a conventional AC power source and also is operable from a self-contained battery in the event of power failure. Provisions are made for using the same basic switching arrangement for providing separate unlocking combinations for controlling two or more locks. A simplified provision for changing the unlocking combinations is shown.

States Patent [191 Nicholson 1 1 Aug. 28, 1973 1 COMBINATION ELECTRICLOCK [76] Inventor: Newton II. Nicholson, 1122 Lewis Dr., Daytona Beach,Fla. 32017 [22] Filed: Sept. 9, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 179,028

[52] US. Cl 317/134, 307/10 AT [51] Int. Cl E05b 49/00 [58] Field ofSearch 317/134; 307/10 AT, 307/10 BP [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,442,487 1/1923 Lacier 317/134 2,583,752 1/1952 Smith 317/134 XFOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 831,618 l/l970 Canada 317/134 OTHERPUBLICATIONS Dual-Combination Electrolock March 1966 issue of PopularElectronics p. 10 (Stephen Smyka).

Electronic Lock Article Jan. 1966 issue of Popular Electronics p. 61.

Improved Electronic Locks Jan. 1968 issue of Popular Electronics, p. 73.

Primary Examiner-J. D. Miller Assistant E;aminerl-Iarry E. Moose, Jr.Attorney- Harold D. Jones, Jr., Roger T. Frost [57] ABSTRACT Electriclock apparatus including two or more multiple position electricalswitches for completing a circuit to actuate an electric unlockingdevice. The electric unlocking apparatus is operable from a conventionalAC power source and also is operable from a self-contained battery inthe event of power failure. Provisions are made for using the same basicswitching arrangement for providing separate unlocking combinations forcontrolling two or more locks. A simplified provision for changing theunlocking combinations is shown.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAYENTEUwcza ms 3.755718 48 INVENTOR 46NEWTON H. NICHOLSON H04 BY W ATTORNEY COMBINATION ELECTRIC LOCK Thisinvention relates in general to locking devices and in particular to alocking apparatus which is electrically actuated for unlocking onlyafter a predetermined combination number is set in the apparatus.

The need to secure doors and other portals with a lock which is readilyopenable by authorized persons but yet which is secure againstunauthorized entry has been a continuing problem. While the art isreplete with various types of latches, locks, and locking systerns,these devices generally fall into one of two categories: key-type locks,wherein a uniquely shaped or otherwise coded key must be used to openthe lock; and keyless locks, wherein a particular predeterminedcombination of numbers or other variables must be set into the lock bythe operator to unlock the lock. The key-type locks, while generallybeing self-contained and operable independently of external powersources, require that each and every person authorized to open the lockmust carry or otherwise have access to his own key. This gives rise tothe hazard that a person who loses a key or who temporarily leaves thekey in the custody of another may find that his key has been used orduplicated so as to permit unauthorized opening of an otherwise lockeddoor. Where a number of individuals are permitted keys for opening aparticular lock, moreover, this proliferation of keys makes even morelikely the probability that at least one of the keys will become lost ormisappropriated. While most modern locks of the bin-tumbler type, forexample, have locking elements which can bechanged by a qualifiedlocksmith to require a different key for operation, this changingentails a certain amount of expense.

Various types of mechanical and electrical combination locks have beenproposed in the prior art. While combination locks do away with the needfor every authorized person to carry or otherwise have access to a keyfor opening a particular lock, prior art combination locks generallyhave proven to be complex and expensive in construction if such locksare to provide a satisfactory number of possible combinations necessaryto render very low the probability that an unauthorized person can openthe lock by trial-and-error settings of random combinations. Changingthe predetermined combination of prior art electrically actuatedcombination locks has generally required either rewiring of selectorswitches or other circuit elements,'or else has required a separate setof switches for combination changing purposes. In either event, suchelectrical combination locks'have been expensive to. obtain or haverequired the services of an electrician to change the predeterminedcombination, and such factors have made electrical combination locks ofthe prior art unavailable for the average homeowner, apartment renter,and other typical users of locks. Accordingly, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide an improved electric combination lock.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an electriccombination lock in which the predetermined unlocking combination can bereadilyand inexpensively changed.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anelectric combination lock which can be assembled from readily availableand relatively inexpensive components.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electriccombination lock in which a single set of combination selector switchescan be used to provide separate and different combinations for unlockingmore than one lock.

Other objects as well as many of the attendant advantages of the presentinvention will become more readily apparent from the followingdescription and drawing of an embodiment of the invention in which:

FIG. 1 shows a pictorial view of the control panel of a lock accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic wiring diagram of the embodiment depicted inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a modified embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 4 shows a pictorial view of a control knob for a combinationselector switch used in the disclosed embodiments of the presentinvention.

Stated generally, the present embodiment includes an electriccombination lock apparatus wherein an electric unlatching circuit iscompleted by properly positioning a plurality of multiple positionselector switches to complete a prewired series circuit including theaforementioned switches. Each switch position corresponds to aparticular switch position number, and the numerical positioncorresponding to a particular switch position can be changed by changingthe position of the knob or other actuating device associated with theswitch. The switches can be wired to provide multiple series paths, witheach series path corresponding to an unlatching circuit for a separatelocking device.

More particularly, and with reference taken to FIGS. 1 and 2, there isshown an embodiment of the present invention including a control panelindicated generally at 10 connected by wires 11 to selectively applyelectric power to a latching device 12 which functions to control theoperation of the door 13. The latching device 12 may be a conventionaldevice such as a solenoid-operatedlatch or the like, in which the door13 including a conventional lock striker bolt may be closed and engagedwith the latching device 12 and in which application of power to thelatching device withdraws a latching member to permit the door 13 to beopened. The control panel l0, which typically but not necessarily isinstalled adjacent the door 13 to be controlled, includes a cover door14 which is openable to reveal a number of control switches the identityand purpose of which will become apparent below.

Turning next to FIG. 2, there is shown a schematic diagram of anembodiment of the present invention including four multiple-positionswitches 20, 21, 22, and 23. While these switches are depicted asI2-position rotary switches of the type wherein a common terminal isselectively connectable to each switch position, it will be understoodthat switches having a greater or lesser number of positions may beused. It will also be understood that more or fewer switches than fourmay be used in the present invention, with a corresponding increase ordecrease in the available number of locking combinations.

The multiple positions switches 20-23 are interconnected so that atleast one of the 12 switching contacts such as the contact designated24, of the switch 20 is connected to the common terminal 21a of themultiple position switch 21. In a similar manner, at least one ofthe'contacts of the multiple switch 21, such as contact 25, is connectedto the common terminal 22a of switch 22, and at least one of thecontacts, such as 26, of the multiple position switch 22 is connected tothe common terminal 23a of the multiple position switch 23. The basiccircuit further includes an electrical connection from one of themultiple position switch 23 contacts such as the contact indicated at27, extending through a conductor 28 to a momentary-on switch 29 and theaforementioned latching device 12. The circuit is completed through apower source selection switch 30, which may be a conventional DTDTswitch, enabling either a battery power source 31 of an AC converterpower source 32 to be applied to the locking circuit of this embodiment.The power source selected by the switch 30 is also connectable to a lamp33 operated through a switch 34, the lamp and its associated switchbeing positioned as shown in FIG. 1 to cast illumination on the multipleposition contact switches of the control panel.

In considering the operation of the combination electric lock describedthus far, assume that each of the common terminals 20a, 21a, 22a, and23a of the corresponding multiple position switches is positioned toestablish contact with corresponding contacts 24, 25, 26, and 27. Ifthis is done, it can be seen that actuation of the switch 29 completesan electric circuit through the several multiple position switches, thelatching device 12 and the power source selected by the switch 30 thuscausing the latching device to operate and unlock the door 13. Once thedoor is unlocked, of course, the momentary-on switch 29 can be released.

If the same control panel shown generally at and in detail in FIG. 2 isdesired to operate a second latching device 40, an additional contact onone of the multiple position switches such as the contact 41 of theswitch 23, is connected in circuit with the second latching device 40and'another momentary-on switch 42. It can be seen, accordingly, thatwith the common terminals of the multiple position switches 20, 21 and22 respectively connected to contacts 24, 25, and 26, and with thecommon terminal 23a of the 23 connected to the contact 41 instead of thecontact 27, a circuit has been energized which upon closure of theswitch 42 causes the second latching device 40 to be actuated. Thesetting of they multiple position switch 23 determines which of thelatching devices 12 or 40 has been selected for possible. unlatching,provided that the other multiple position switches also have beenproperly set. v v

If it is desired to provide a completely different combination ofmultiple position switch settings for controlling the second latchingdevice 40, a second series of multiple position switch contacts 54, 55and 56 on the corresponding switches 20, 21 and 22 can be provided witha connection to the respective common terminals 21a, 22a and 23a of themultiple position switches. In this way a first four-digit numbercorresponding to switch contacts 24, 25, 26 and 27 can be assigned tocontrol unlatching of the latching device 12, and a second completelydifferent four-digit number corresponding to contacts 54, 55, 56 and 41can be assigned to control unlatching of the latching device 40.It willbe understood, of course, that additional contacts of the switch 23 canbe assigned to control still other latching devices; moreover, it willbe understood that the circuit for the second latching device 40, forexample, instead of being associated with the contact 41 of the switch23 could instead be associated with an available contact of one of theremaining multiple position switches, such as switch 22, thereby givinga threeposition combination number for the control of the secondlatching device 40 and further confusing a wouldbe unauthorized use ofthe present combination electric lock.

The provision of plural power sources in combination with the powerselector switch 30 enables the latching device to be normally operatedfrom conventionally available AC line power while permitting batterypower to be selected for emergency operation of the lock in the event ofpower failure. The battery 31 may be one or more conventional dry cellsconnected to provide the appropriate latch operating voltage or mayalternatively be a suitable rechargeable battery which may be floatedacross a suitable charging voltage so that the battery is normallymaintained in a fully-charged condition.

Each of the multiple position switches 20-23 may be advantageously ofthe type depicted in FIG. 4 and including a manual actuation knob 46which mounts on a switch shaft connected for positioning the respectivecommon terminal of the switch as is known to those skilled in the art.Such switch knobs typically are affixed to the switch shaft either bymeans of coacting splines on the shaft and the knob interior, or bymeans of a suitable setscrew which is contained in the knob for engagingthe switch shaft. If it is assumed that for each switch position of agiven multiple position switch 20, for example, there is a numericaldesignation such as position 1', position 2 and the like throughposition 12" (in the case of a l2-position switch), then the numericaldesignation of a particular switch position in which the common terminal20a is connected to the contact 24, for example, can be any one of theaforementioned 12 positions simply by appropriately positioning the knobon the switch shaft. For example, the pointer 47 of the knob 46 can bemade to point to l or to 5 on the numerical indicator dial 48 bychanging the position of the knob relative to the shaft of the switch.Thus a control panel 10 including four multipleposition switchesprewired as shown in FIG. 2 to have one set (or more) of switchingpositions to establish a corresponding number of series paths throughthe four switch chain, can have anumerical combination selected orchanged at will by the simple expedientof changing the positions of oneor more of the knobscorresponding to the several multiple positionsswitches. It is preferableto use multiple position switches that permitcontinuous rotation, so that'a person'tampe'ring with the lock' will notbe advised by the existence of a rotation stop following the twelfthswitch contact, for example, that the position of the switch knob maynot correspond to the position of the common terminal of that switch.

The modified embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 shows still anotherarrangement of the present invention wherein a given number of multiplepositions switches can be used to provide completely separatecombinations for unlatching two (or more) latching devices 12 and 40.The embodiment of FIG. 3 uses three separate two-deck multiple positionswitches 60, 61 and 62, it being understood that a similar arrangementcould be employed using a different number of multiple deck switches,such as the four-switch arrangement of FIG.

2. The actuating circuit for the latching device 12 is first decks 60-1,61-1, and 62-1 of the three multiple position switches, while thecircuit for the second latching device 40 is provided through the seconddecks 60-2, 61-2, and 62-2 of such switches. The interconnectionsbetween the common terminals and switch contacts of the first decks60-1, 61-1, and 62-1 preferably are at contact positions different fromthe corresponding interconnections between the second decks 60-2, 61-2,and 62-2 so that a particular numerical setting which permits thelatching device 12 to be actuated, for example, will not enable thesecond latching device 40 to be actuated.

The combination of the FIG. 3 embodiment can be readily changed asdescribed above by repositioning the knobs which operate the multipleposition switches, and it will be apparent that such repositioning ofthe switch knobs will automatically change the combinations for bothlatching devices 12 and 40. It will be further understood that althoughthe multiple power sources and the lamp depicted in FIG. 2 have beenomitted from FIG. 3, these additional features could as well be includedin the FIG. 3 embodiment.

Although the foregoing embodiments of the present invention have beenshown for operating a solenoidtype latching device, it will beunderstood that the combination electric lock of the present inventioncan as well be used to complete an electric circuit through anyappropriate device such as a relay for controlling the operation of someother apparatus. For example, the control panel can be mounted on a postor another suitable location adjacent the driveway of a house and themultiple position switches can be used to complete a circuit through acontrol relay, rather than a latching device, which in turn actuates agarage door opener. Moreover, a combination electric lock according tothe present invention is effective as a circuit control apparatus inmotor vehicle ignition circuits, for example, either to replace theconventional key ignition lock or to provide an additional locking stagein the ignition cir cuit. Many other uses and applications of thepresent invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

' It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates only topreferred embodiments of the invention and that numerous modificationsor alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combination electric lock comprising:

at least two electrical switching means each of which has a commonterminal selectively engageable in circuit with one of a plurality ofswitch contacts;

circuit means establishing electrical circuit between the commonterminal of one of said switching means and a first switching contact ofthe other of said switching means;

a first control circuit establishing electrical circuit between thecommon terminal of said other switching means and a first switchingcontact of said one switching means, said control circuit beingconnected to receive a source of electrical power and including anelectrically actuated means;

said electrically actuated means comprising an electrically actuatedlock device connected in said first control circuit;

first control switch means operatively connected in said first controlcircuit and selectively operable to complete a circuit connecting saidlock device with the power source when said common terminal of said oneswitching means is in circuit communication with said first switchingcontact of said one switching means;

said one switching means comprising a multiple contact rotary switchmeans having a common terminal capable of continuous rotation forselective engagement in circuit with any one of said plurality of switchcontacts;

switch operating means operatively connected to rotate said commonterminal;

an indicium disposed for rotation-with said switch operating means;

position indication means fixedly mounted relative to said switchoperating means for indication coaction with said indicium; and

means adjustably interconnecting said switch operating means forselective continuous rotation relative to said rotatable common terminalto selectively vary the indication coaction between said indicium andsaid position indication means without chang ing the switch contactactually selectively engaged by said common terminal.

2. A combination electric lock comprising:

at least two electrical switching means each of which has a commonterminal selectively engageable in circuit with one of a plurality ofswitch contacts;

circuit means establishing electrical circuit between the commonterminal of one of said switching means and a first switching contact ofthe other of said switching means;

a first control circuit establishing electrical circuit between thecommon terminal of said other switching means and a first switchingcontact of said one switching means, said control circuit beingconnected to receive a source of electrical power and including anelectrically actuated means;

said electrically actuated means comprising a first electricallyactuated lock device connected in said first control circuit;

first control switch means operatively connected in said first controlcircuit and selectively operable to complete a circuit connecting saidcommon terminal of said other switching means with said first.

switching contact of said one switching means, th power source, and thefirst lock device;

a second electrically actuated lock device;

a second control circuit including the common terminal of said otherswitching means and a second switching contact of said one switchingmeans;

said second control circuit being connected to receive a source ofelectrical power and including said second lock device; and

second control switch means operatively connected in said second controlcircuit and selectively operable to complete a circuit connecting saidcommon terminal of said.v other switching means with said secondswitching contact of said one switching means, the power source, andsaid second lock device.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2, further comprising:

second circuit means establishing electrical circuit between said commonterminal of said one switching means and a.second switching contact ofthe other of said switching means. a a x

1. A combination electric lock comprising: at least two electricalswitching means each of which has a common terminal selectivelyengageable in circuit with one of a plurality of switch contacts;circuit means establishing electrical circuit between the commonterminal of one of said switching means and a first switching contact ofthe other of said switching means; a first control circuit establishingelectrical circuit between the common terminal of said other switchingmeans and a first switching contact of said one switching means, saidcontrol circuit being connected to receive a source of electrical powerand including an electrically actuated means; said electrically actuatedmeans comprising an electrically actuated lock device connected in saidfirst control circuit; first control switch means operatively connectedin said first control circuit and selectively operable to complete acircuit connecting said lock device with the power source when saidcommon terminal of said one switching means is in circuit communicationwith said first switching contact of said one switching means; said oneswitching means comprising a multiple contact rotary switch means havinga common terminal capable of continuous rotation for selectiveengagement in circuit with any one of said plurality of switch contacts;switch operating means operatively connected to rotate said commonterminal; an indicium disposed for rotation with said switch operatingmeans; position indication means fixedly mounted relative to said switchoperating means for indication coaction with said indicium; and meansadjustably interconnecting said switch operating means for selectivecontinuous rotation relative to said rotatable common terminal toselectively vary the indication coaction between said indicium and saidposition indication means without changing the switch contact actuallyselectively engaged by said common terminal.
 2. A combination electriclock comprising: at least two electrical switching means each of whichhas a common terminal selectively engageable in circuit with one of aplurality of switch contacts; circuit means establishing electricalcircuit between the common terminal of one of said switching means and afirst switching contact of the other of said switching means; a firstcontrol circuit establishing electrical circuit between the commonterminal of said other switching means and a first switching contact ofsaid one switching means, said control circuit being connected toreceive a source of electrical power and including an electricallyactuated means; said electrically actuated means comprising a firstelectrically actuated lock device connected in said first controlcircuit; first control switch means operatively connected in said firstcontrol circuit and selectively operable to complete a circuitconnecting said common terminal of said other switching means with saidfirst switching contact of said one switching means, the power source,and the first lock device; a second electrically actuated lock device; asecond control circuit including the common terminal of said otherswitching means and a second switching contact of said one switchingmeans; said second control circuit being connected to receive a sourceof electrical power and including said second lock device; and secondcontrol switch means operatively connected in said second controlcircuit and selectively operable to complete a circuit connecting saidcommon terminal of said other switching means with said second switchingcontact of said one switching means, the power source, and said secondlock device.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 2, further comprising: secondcircuit means establishing electrical circuit between said commonterminal of said one switching means and a second switching contact ofthe other of said switching means.